Khara
General Location: Along the north shore of the Southern Sea, stretching east from the Sun's River below the Sun-bound Mountains to the Black River in the west. Racial Mix: Sharakim 34% Xeph 66% Religious Mix: Circle of Light 73% Three Fold Gods 4% Agnostic 16% Atheistic 7% Languages: Xilgith, Harthak Mounts Military Civilian Individual Dire Elk Dire Elk Draft Dire Elk Dire Elk Basic Architectural Style: Shinto-esque A-frames Basic Clothing Style: Tunic and coat with hat, trousers with boots. Gift and Rest days: Name When Type Light's Ascendance Midsummer Holiday Saint Khemilan's Festival Spring Equinox Gift Saint Khalafel's Day Autumn Equinox Rest Saint Khildir's Festival Midwinter Rest Countries Country Size Location Total: 24,000,000 General Description Khara is a melding of the Sharakim and Xeph cultures, evolving over time as the two cultures mingle and interbreed. In general the nobles and upper-class craftsmen and merchants are Sharakim, with the Xeph as peasants and laborers. However, a few Xeph have gained enough might to become warlords on their own, and the Shadowhouses lurk behind the scenes, selling murder. The culture is patriarchal but matrilineal. Males are generally held responsible for the decisions that affect their family and house, which is closer to the extended family clans of the human cultures rather than the fluid noble houses of the Illigyr. Sharakim males are warriors, craftsmen, and businessmen. Sharakim women are hostesses (or chatelaines for the nobles), entertainers, and artists. Xeph, regardless of their gender, usually serve as farmers and laborers, though many Xeph men also serve as soldiers. Upwardly mobile Xeph often ape their betters. The priesthood is open to both nobles and peasants of each sex. The Sharakim nobles have a very honor-bound culture that idolizes the warrior artist, with many rituals. Most of the rituals involve purification, to prevent the spread of the shadow-taint the Sharakim believe resides in themselves. Interbreeding is not frowned upon, as the Sharakim regard the Xeph as an untainted race and hope to obiliterate the taint from their own. Originally, interbreeding was limited only to the male noble's mistresses, but it is now openly done by both sexes, though it remains scandalous for noble female Sharakim. Naming Traditions The peasantry has adopted the naming conventions of the nobles. The nobles in turn, use essentially the standard Sharakim naming conventions. So Thomas Robert Alurond and Elizabeth Sarah Bostilan are both typical names in Khara. Marriage Traditions Kharan culture recognizes two forms of familial bonding, each roughly associated with the two social classes. In both cases, only the woman can divorce her spouse - a privilege denied to the males. Also in both cases, only one man is generally involved. All that is required for a divorce is for the woman to proclaim three times to the priesthood, at dusk, that her husband shadows her. Typically, this is done over a period of three consecutive nights. In the noble form of marriage, which can also be used by peasantry, the husband can inherit property from his wife. The bond is recognized as permanent, and divorce is frowned upon. Such marriages are marked by both spouses wearing matching nose-rings. The common form of marriage does not permit the man to inherit, and divorce carries no stigma and is much more frequent. The two spouses wear matching necklaces, which the woman retains ownership of after a divorce. History Khara is perhaps one of the oldest cultures on Darelth. Originally purely Xeph, it was colonized by the Ancient Xemil Empire. About 500 years later, the Five Nations of Illigyr (and Xara as the Sixth Nation) declared their independence from the Xalar Empire (the eastern fragment of the Ancient Xemil Empire), the now much reduced mother country. In the six hundred years that followed, Xara collapsed into warlordry, unified into nations and empires, and collapsed again. When the Shalrak invaded, the Warlords of Xara were unable to call for aid from their cousins in the Five Nations who were occupied with the Great Neck Empire. The Shalrak managed to briefly unify the Xaran people, forming the Kharan Empire. The Empire collapsed when the Shadowhouses assassinated the Emperor's son and his family, leaving no clear successor. Khara is now a collection of many hundreds of warlords, all vying to restore the Imperial Throne, empty for these past 300 years. Year Event -800 Xalar Province created. -683 Xara colonized. -138 The Six Nations declare their independence. 452 to 467 Xara (now Khara) is conquered by the Shalrak. 663 Kharan imperial succession collapses Category: Setting Category:Cultures